The beginning of Donald Trump’s Presidency saw nation wide protests centred on the Women’s March in Washington on the day after the Inauguration. In the course of his winning campaign the new President had become under attack in relation to his attitude towards women that was highlighted by the leak of a controversial tape in which the candidate made disparaging remarks about women with Billy Bush which caused much controversy and would follow him even to the White House. It is appropriate therefore that the Democrat that chose to come up to the plate to bat against the new Administration is a woman.
Battle in the Houses
In the aftermath of the November elections which left the Republicans holding the majorities of both the Senate and Congress to Democrats had to force the political battle against the new President in the light of a hostile environment from a cocky, triumphant Republican leadership. The battles began quickly and this is where #senator elizabeth warren took the stage and grabbed the spotlight.
President #Donald Trump’s nominations as Secretaries and other important positions were even more controversial than usual for a change of occupant at the White House. Many of the Secretaries were considered unsuitable for their new positions and none more so than new Attorney General Jeff Sessions whose previous nomination as Federal Court Justice was blocked due to his controversial positions on race, immigration and criminal justice reform.
Although the Democrats and a groundswell of popular protest with appeals to Republican Senators to oppose the nomination, there was little doubt that eventually Sessions’ nomination, just like the others would be approved by a friendly Senate. This set the scene for Warren to make one final stand.
On the day for the vote and despite warnings from Republican Leaders that she would not be allowed to make her protest, Warren tried to read a letter from Coretta Scott King regarding the about to be approved Attorney General.
With the application of a little used regulation she was blocked from speaking and taking part in the debate.
This had two effects, the first of highlighting even more the protest as Warren then put it on her web page where it became subject of much debate and support around the country. Tellingly, yesterday Republican Senator Lindsay Graham stated on CNN that the Democrat Senator had been “long overdue” for silencing.
This then leads on to the second effect of the Senate’s action.
2020
With her vocal and very public protest Elizabeth Warren may well have put herself in the prime position to become the Democrat’s candidate for the White House in 2020. For reasons of age, and probably even of controversy, Hillary Clinton will be out of the running. This possibility will mean that she will be even more determined to press for battle in any occasion that presents itself in the House.
The open hostility of the Republicans towards the one time Bostonian of the year will probably also has the effect of mobilizing the Women’s protest movement to support her over the period of Trump’s presidency. As a woman who married young and raised young children as she went through Law school and eventually followed though to be elected to Congress and the Senate Warren will present a candidate in marked contrast to Donald Trump.
Pointedly in the quoted interview Lindsay Graham openly stated that she was aiming for the 2020 Presidential race which puts the Republican move against her in the Senate in a new light.
The first three weeks of the Trump Administration have seen a roller coaster ride of orders and protests which will probably be the hallmark of the next four years. Elizabeth Warren has shown that she is willing to challenge the Republican Party in the Senate on issues dear to large sections of the population. In 2020 will she be the one who will replace Trump in the Oval Office?
